


watch them learn

by Ashtheshortstack



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Angst, Bullying, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Ladybug Adrien Agreste | Mister Bug, Little bit of Fluff, Princess Justice AU, Reveal Fic, This is probably the least fluffy ML fic I've written to date, one sided identity reveal, some adrinette - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25428844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashtheshortstack/pseuds/Ashtheshortstack
Summary: After Lila reveals Marinette's feelings for Adrien, there's only so much a girl can take. Even a superhero.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 38
Kudos: 505





	1. broken frame

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place after "Ladybug." However, the s3 finale didn't happen.

_ “You’re either with me, or you’re against me.”  _

Lila’s words were clear and harsh, but Marinette battled akumas on a daily basis. It wasn’t something she couldn’t handle. She feared some things, but Lila Rossi definitely wasn’t one of them. Did the lying brat piss her off? Oh, big time. At first, it was jealousy revolving around Adrien, however, the blond seemed to figure out Lila’s lies all on his own. He didn’t need the constant proof. So, Marinette was comfortable that Adrien would never date someone like that. He wasn’t the type. 

_ “From now on, you and I are at war. You will lose all your friends and be all alone. And Adrien will soon be mine.”  _

Marinette had to give her credit. The brat tried her best, that was for sure. Lila had successfully gotten her expelled, but suddenly just recanted all of her statements the next day and confirmed she made it all up. Blaming it on some stupid disease that didn’t exist, but whatever. It worked. She was thankful for that. Even though Lila’s change of heart clearly had something behind it, Marinette decided to not fret on it too much. It was clear the brat was still out to get her, but Marinette knew that taking the high road was obviously the best option. Adrien was right, there was no need to feed the troll. 

No way could she have predicted that Lila had something more sinister up her sleeve. Of course, she hadn’t assumed that the incident was the  _ last _ she’d hear from Lila, but Marinette didn’t realize there could be something much, much worse. 

It had been a typical day for Marinette. There had been an akuma attack the previous evening, so she was a bit sleepy, but nothing she’d never pushed through before. She was Ladybug for a reason. She wouldn’t let a little lack of sleep ruin her day. Besides, Marinette looked forward to school. Seeing Adrien every day always uplifted her mood. He was such a kind soul, often lighting up the room more than she was sure he realized. Marinette knew he didn’t have a great homelife with his mother disappearing, assumed dead, and his father being an uptight, strict, recluse. It amazed her that he could be so positive every day. That he could be such a good person. Knowing what he went through just made her admire him even more. 

Despite how she tried to hide her fondness for him, it was difficult. Luckily, Adrien was the oblivious type and had no idea what feelings Marinette harbored for him. And she planned to keep it that way. No matter how much she wanted to be with him, she knew that Adrien loved another girl. She assumed that it was Kagami. They had gotten awfully close lately. And it hurt even more because she and Kagami had become friends. So, it wasn’t like she could hate her or be angry at her for liking the same boy as her. Even though Marinette liked him  _ first _ , she digressed. Kagami would be good for him. They had so much in common… so it was okay. No matter how painful it was. No matter how much it made Marinette’s chest tighten with an ache. No matter how she desperately hoped that Adrien would see her the way she saw him… 

Taking her usual spot on the bench, Marinette sat with her knees pulled up to her chest as she doodled a few sketches into her sketchbook. However when Adrien arrived in the courtyard and made a bee-line for Nino, Marinette couldn’t help but follow him with her eyes. She could feel a soft small cross her lips when Nino swung an arm over the blond’s shoulder with Adrien grinning in return. It was wonderful to see him happy. She was glad he had a friend like Nino. 

“Hey, girl,” a familiar voice chimed. 

Startling at Alya’s sudden appearance, Marinette gave a tiny yelp. “Oh, hi.” 

“You had that dopey look on your face again. You could try to be a little less obvious, you know,” her best friend teased. 

Marinette laughed and tugged at a pigtail, “Sorry, I don’t mean to,” she glanced back to Adrien with her smile returning and shrugged. “Besides, he never notices anyway.” 

Scoffing, Alya shook her head. “Adrien  _ does _ notice you. You know that, right?” 

“Well, yeah. But in a friend kind of way. He doesn’t see me the way… well I see him,” there was a sadness in her tone that she didn’t like. 

Marinette didn’t  _ want _ to be disappointed that Adrien liked someone else. He was human. He was allowed to have his own crushes, right? But… she was also allowed to be human as well. And be sad she’d have to let him go. Maybe it was for the best? She had to focus on defeating Hawkmoth before she could even think about pursuing anything romantic. The world she lived in was dangerous, and she wouldn’t dare get Adrien dragged into it. If he got hurt… well, she wouldn’t know what she’d do. 

Alya bumping her gently. “You sound like you’re giving up.” 

“Not giving up,” she said with a shake of her head, “just respecting his choices. He’s such an amazing person, and I don’t want to get in the way of his happiness.” 

“Oh, Marinette, he’ll see it someday…” Alya fell silent as Marinette gave a non committal hum in response. “In the meantime, are you gonna take all those pictures of him down in your room?” she asked.

“No way, he’s easy on the eyes.” 

The two shared a laugh at that. Marinette returned to her drawing as Alya watched over her shoulder. Eventually, Alya flagged down her boyfriend. Nino, with Adrien in tow, came over to join the girls. Marinette was able to keep her cool when Adrien took a seat between her and Alya and watched her sketch. 

“That looks great, Marinette. Have you thought about entering my father’s next contest?” 

With a giggle, Marinette did her best to stop her heart from pounding. Stay cool, she reminded herself. “U-Uh, maybe. When is it?” 

Adrien smiled. “It’s in a few weeks, I think. I can check with Nathalie and get back with you?” 

“Yeah, sure,” she replied quickly. 

There was a beat before the blond spoke again. “You really are talented. I wish I could draw like you and Nathaniel.” 

“I’m sure you can draw just fine. Someone as amazing as you? I’m sure you're great at anything,” she blabbered out. 

He laughed at that. “Well, thanks. May I?” he asked, bobbing his head towards her sketchpad and holding his hand out for her pencil. 

“O-Of course,” she sputtered and instantly handed him her pencil and book. 

Marinette couldn’t help but watch him as he doodled in her sketchbook. His tongue poked out between his lips, wiggling slightly as he focused on his art. She noticed his brows pinch as her eyes wandered along his face down to his hands. Hands she’d held so many times and wished she could again and again. Granted, it was usually when Adrien was tugging her along to escape an akuma or that time he pulled her in to dance. 

Sucking in a breath, she looked away as she felt her face warm. Marinette silently prayed that he hadn’t noticed the vibrant flush that kissed her cheeks. When he finished, he held up the completed product. “Ta-da! What do you think?” 

In the middle of the page was a poorly drawn cat with a large body, stick legs, and a thick tail. There were dots for eyes and a squiggly cat mouth. Marinette couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of it, and Adrien quickly joined her. 

“Maybe, I need more practice. You should teach me sometime.” 

Marinette’s heart fluttered at the statement. “Yeah, maybe sometime. You may need quite a few lessons though,” she teased. 

Adrien smirked at her. “You gotta be  _ kitten _ me, Marinette, I thought I was pretty good.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh at the horrible pun. There was a dull sense of familiarity that she shoved into the back of her mind. It was common to make puns. No need to overthink it. 

The bell chimed, echoing through the courtyard. Her friends all stood, ready to head to class. Adrien returned her sketchbook, smiling at her. “You coming?” 

“You guys go ahead, I need to pack up my things.” 

The blond tilted his head. “Need help?” 

“No, no. I got it,” she assured him with a smile. 

Adrien didn’t seem convinced, giving her a once over with a concerned pinch in his brows. But after a moment, gave a slight shrug and started up the stairs. 

Letting out a loud sigh, Marinette took a moment to gather her wits. She was proud she was slowly able to interact with Adrien despite how nervous she still felt around him. Her heart always pounded while her palms felt clammy. Wiping her hands on her pants, she corrected herself. Marinette glanced down at her sketchpad, glancing over the drawing. Adrien signed his name at the bottom with a smiley face next to it. She smiled, hugging it to her chest. Marinette would always cherish any moment she had with him. 

Standing, she gathered her things and headed up the stairs. Class went as usual. Lila was absent for the day, making Marinette relax a little knowing she wouldn’t have the brunette glaring at the back of her head for the day. 

She took her notes, occasionally glanced down at Adrien (no one could blame her, really, he was so easy on the eyes), and drew tiny doodles on the corner of her paper. Marinette surprised herself with a little cat drawing that replicated the blond’s sketch from before. There was so much to learn about Adrien still. Did he really like cats? Maybe, he was a Chat Noir fan? 

Marinette was yanked from her musings when an akuma burst into the door of the classroom. Her classmates screamed and took cover beneath their desks as Madam Bustier shouted for the akuma to be gone. But the akuma locked eyes with her before smirking wickedly. 

“Ah, there you are Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I was hoping I’d find you here. I’m Crush Detector, and I’m here to expose your crush.” 

Her heart pounded with panic. “W-What?” 

Crush Detector gave a mused hum before prancing over to Adrien who stood at his desk with a gritted frown. “Don’t you want to know the  _ truth _ , Adrien? We know how you feel about people who  _ lie. _ I’m here to be honest… because  _ we’re friends, aren’t we? _ ” 

Marinette watched as his expression changed. His eyes hardened. “Lila!” he hissed. 

Gaping, she looked at the akuma. “Lila?”  _ Again!? _ How many times could this girl be akumatized intentionally? Was she  _ working  _ with Hawkmoth at this point? 

With a grin, Crush Detector turned her attention to the projector holding up a camera that was clearly the inflicted object. “Why don’t we all see the truth, hm?” 

Marinette watched in horror as the pictures of Adrien on the walls of her room flashed onto the screen, then Adrien’s schedule in detail, her desktop screen, then  _ her. _ There was literal  _ footage _ of her pieced together from before school. The entire conversation she and Alya had before class was played back in front of her, as well as her hugging the sketchpad after he’d doodled in it. 

Tears pricked her eyes, her heart dropping into her stomach. Her throat felt tight as her hands began to shake. She was utterly humiliated. It wasn’t a secret to her classmates how she felt about Adrien, but for him to see…

Kim laughed aloud. “You have his whole schedule on hand?” 

“I knew you liked him, but I didn’t realize you were a stalker, Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe mused. 

Her bottom lip wobbled as more and more images of her cooing over the blond were shoved into her face. As booked towards the door, vaguely hearing Alya and Adrien call after her. 

Crush Detector blocked her exit. “Oh, running away from your feelings  _ again _ , Marinette?” 

She saw red. Marinette shoved Lila’s akumatized form out of the way. She booked it to the bathroom. Knowing that the akuma would be after her any moment, she locked the door, knowing it’d at least delay the process of Lila entering. 

Taking deep breaths, Marinette held her head as she slid down the door. Sobs wracked her body as she buried her face into her knees. 

“Marinette…” Tikki’s voice murmured as she floated out of the purse. “I’m so sorry…” 

With a sniffle, she wiped her face. “We have to catch an akuma.” 

“Marinette, are you okay?” 

Her body felt numb. An emptiness swirled within her. There wasn’t time to care. Lila had done this to purposely humiliate her. And she wouldn’t let that witch get away with it. Marinette called on her transformation. 

She left the bathroom, seeing Adrien searching around the courtyard. He hadn’t noticed her, thankfully. 

Crush Detector laughed spitefully. “Oh, c’mon, Adrien! We know you don’t like her! Don’t pity her!” 

The glare Adrien shot her was bone chilling. “This was the last straw, Lila. I told you to leave Marinette alone.” 

“Oh, but… I’m not Lila anymore, am I?” she snickered as she sat on the railing. 

Ladybug’s fist clenched. Rage flowed through her veins. A heat took over her she’d never felt before. It boiled at her back, shooting up her spine. Her fingers trembled with anger, her teeth grit harshly together. 

“Shut up!” she screeched before wrapping the akuma in her yo-yo. Ladybug yanked her victim harshly, forcing Crush Detector off the high railing and down onto the concrete of the courtyard. The akuma shouted in pain as she met the ground forcefully. “That’s enough!  _ That’s enough! _ ” 

Adrien was stunned by Ladybug’s appearance, jaw hung open. She didn’t blame him. Marinette had never felt so much pain… hurt… anger… bubble through her. She’d never hurt an akumatized person intentionally. But Lila deserved it.  _ She deserved so much worse! _

Ladybug tightened her yo-yo. “Do you just love to hurt others!? Does it make you happy? What do you think will happen now, huh!? Do you  _ really _ think Adrien will love you after this!?” 

“Adrien  _ will _ be mine,” Lila hissed. 

She tightened the string. The akuma gasped for air. 

Adrien took action. He ran over, snatching the inflicted camera and smashing it on the ground. The akuma flew out, but Marinette didn’t budge. When she saw Lila deakumatize… when she saw her at her mercy… she kept her wound in the yo-yo. 

“You have so much hate in your heart. You’re a horrible person! You just love to humiliate others, and for what? It’s not going to make anyone like you. It won’t make Adrien like you. You’re just a coward! Too afraid to be yourself, so you lie to everyone and bring everyone else down to bring yourself up!” 

_ “Ladybug!” _

She gasped, glancing over at Adrien. His face was red. Had he been shouting at her the whole time? 

Quickly, she released Lila and snatched the akuma from the air. She waved off the butterfly silently. Adrien was staring at her with an emotion she couldn’t read. Lila was glaring at her with more fury than ever before. Swallowing, Ladybug gave Adrien a nod before whipping her yo-yo and fleeing quickly. 

o~o~o~o

  
  


Sobs wracked her body. Marinette hadn’t even made it to her bed. She wallowered on the floor, her face in her hands. Hot tears spilled onto her hands. Breathing was difficult through her cries, unable to catch necessary air. She vaguely felt Tikki’s pats of comfort on her head. 

“Marinette, you have to calm down… Hawkmoth will--” 

“I  _ know _ , Tikki… I know. I-I need to--” she glanced down at her phone. There were many,  _ many _ missed calls from both Alya and Adrien. Even one from Nino… which may have just been Alya calling from his phone. She couldn’t be sure. Her throat felt tight as she scrolled through her messages. 

There were texts from Lila. How’d she even gotten her number!? Who would’ve given it to her? 

_ Hope you learned your lesson about crossing me. He’ll never love you.  _

Marinette didn’t dare open any more of them. She felt sick. Nauseated from the pain and anguish that stirred within her. There were texts from Adrien and Alya, both begging her to call them. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to speak to anyone. 

She trembled as she reached up to take her earrings from her lobes. Tikki gasped, looking at her chosen with worry. Marinette held the miraculous out in her palm, gazing at her kwami expectantly. “I need you to take these and find Chat Noir.” 

“Marinette, no--” 

“Tikki,  _ please. _ I can’t let Hawkmoth get my miraculous. This is the only way to keep the earrings safe.” 

Tikki’s gaze was pleading. “B-But Marinette, you could lead him right to Master Fu.” 

Shaking her head, she took a breath. “I can tell you… the only person I’ll be after is Lila. She--She’s the reason for all of this. This is  _ entirely _ her fault. A-And if I get akumatized and whatever I do… she deserves it.”

“Marinette, don’t talk like that.” 

“Go to Chat Noir.” 

It was a command. And Tikki knew it. The heartbroken expression on the kwami’s face was answer enough. She floated over, giving Marinette a kiss on the head. Watching her kwami phase through the window, she knew she’d done the right thing. She knew that the best option would be for Tikki to go to Chat. Chat had used the Ladybug miraculous before. If anyone could save her, it was her crime-fighting partner. 

When the black butterfly floated into her room, she wasn’t surprised to see it. The utter feeling of hopelessness that overwhelmed her was like fodder to Hawkmoth. It absorbed into her purse, and a voice echoed in her mind. 

_ “Princess Justice… your feelings have been exposed to the boy you love against your will…”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey ML fandom... did you miss me?  
> well, here's some angst. LOL.
> 
> [tumblr](https://ashtheshortstack.tumblr.com)


	2. tired of pretending

Adrien laid on his bed, arm shielding his eyes from the light of day shining in from the large windows. Guilt swirled inside of him. There was a heavy feeling tugging at his heart that hadn’t left him since he saw Marinette run off in tears. That wasn’t fair. Lila was way off base after this incident. 

Besides, it wasn’t fair to him either. If Marinette really had feelings for him, and the blinding evidence displayed in front of him clearly confirmed that fact, then she deserved to tell him herself. That wasn’t Lila’s, or Hawkmoth’s for that matter, right to tell him. He didn’t blame her for fleeing the scene. But, he longed for a text back. For her to answer him. To meet him. 

He had to admit… he was confused. Adrien’s emotions were entirely jumbled in his mind. Suddenly, nothing seemed true. The feelings he had long believed were no longer believable. Ladybug… he had always loved her. Been madly head over heels for her for so long. He vowed to wait for her, even if she liked someone else. But then Kagami came along, and while Adrien thought she was beautiful and great company… and he enjoyed having her as a friend, there was still a nagging feeling that it wasn’t right. That Kagami wasn’t who he was supposed to be with. 

If he were honest with himself, Kagami felt more like a crush rather than love. The strong feelings he had for Ladybug were beyond anything he felt for anyone. He was attracted to Kagami, but was he  _ really? _ Was there attachment there? Did he really  _ love _ her? No, he didn’t. And Kagami was a good person. She didn’t deserve to be his second choice or his replacement for Ladybug. Someone else out there was much better for her than him. 

So, where did that leave Marinette?

Finding out she liked him… it made him happy. But why? Why was he so happy that Marinette had feelings for him? 

Marinette was beautiful and talented… A bit clumsy at times, he had to admit. She sputtered her words around him, but maybe that was just because she had a crush on him. Which would actually make sense. It had nothing to do with her not liking him, but instead, actually  _ loving _ him. Did Marinette see more of him than he realized? Had he really been that oblivious to the feelings of someone he considered to be a best friend?

Oh… She had been around him and Kagami a lot. He couldn’t imagine what that felt like for her. Sure, finding out that Ladybug liked another boy had stung, but he never  _ saw _ her with this other guy. But Marinette was with them. Friends with both of them… Saw he and Kagami flirt and laugh and bond over their strict parents. And he never noticed. He never noticed the pain she was in watching them be together. Besides, Adrien just assumed that Marinette liked Luka. But maybe… it was the same way he felt for Kagami. It was a crush, but she had stronger feelings for someone else. For  _ him. _

But he didn’t know how he felt about her. If he really did love Ladybug as much as he thought, he couldn’t choose Marinette over his lady either. He’d be hurting Marinette too if he tried to pursue anything… wouldn’t he?

“Hey.” 

Adrien moved his arm, looking up at his kwami who floated over him. “Plagg?” 

“Are you okay, Adrien?” 

Sighing, he sat up. He grabbed a pillow, hugging it to his chest. “I don’t know.” 

Plagg’s antennas hung low as he shot his chosen a defeated look. “Do--Do you like Marinette?” 

“I don’t know… Maybe?” he said with a shrug. 

“What do you like about her?” 

Adrien laughed at that. “What’s not to like about her? She’s clever and smart. Beautiful and amazing. Marinette’s the nicest person I know, Plagg. That’s why I just--I don’t want to hurt her.” 

Plagg nodded before he seemed to mull something over. “Uh, so, Ladybug was acting weird today, huh?” 

Blinking, Adrien gave his kwami a confused look. Why the sudden change in topic? Why was Plagg acting so…  _ weird? _ He was usually able to hold rather consistent conversations with his kwami (most involving cheese, of course), but now it seemed like Plagg wasn’t sure what conversation he wanted to have. Adrien was going to develop emotional whiplash from the topic jumping. 

“Ladybug? What about her?” 

“She defeated the akuma before you even had a chance to transform.” 

He shrugged. “Y-Yeah, but I still broke the inflicted object.” 

“You did.” 

But Plagg was right. Ladybug screamed at Lila after all was said and done. It seemed like she was going to hurt her if he hadn’t brought his lady back to reality. Adrien knew that Ladybug didn’t like Lila. She must’ve found out from Marinette what happened, and it set his partner off. Her sense of justice was rather stubborn. 

Still, it was odd for Ladybug to get so upset that she nearly hurt someone. His lady didn’t like Chloe either, but she never threatened her. Maybe there was more of a connection between Marinette and Ladybug than he realized?

“Sugar Cube!?” 

Yanked from his thoughts, he looked up at his kwami with surprise before viewing Plagg’s line of sight. With a gasp, Adrien shot to his feet when he saw the tiny red kwami phase through his window. As he got closer, he realized Tikki held the earrings in tow. 

“Tikki? What’s going on?” 

The kwami was in bad shape. Tikki looked so heartbroken and defeated. “Ladybug has been akumatized.” 

Adrien felt his jaw fall slack, stunned that his lady had fallen victim to their enemy. “W-What!? What happened?” 

“She…” the kwami trailed off. “She told me to bring the miraculous to you. She said that you could transform and save her.” 

“Isn’t it dangerous? What if she leads him to Master Fu?” 

Tikki sighed. “I asked the same, but Master Fu has been changing locations since Hawkmoth found out his identity. There’s no way for Ladybug to know where he is.” 

With a nod, he took the earrings from the kwami. He slipped the ring from his finger before stuffing it in his pocket. Adrien glanced up at Plagg. “You’ll be okay if I transform with Tikki, right?” 

“As long as you give me cheese.” 

Adrien laughed at that. “You got it.” 

As he snapped the earrings in his ears, he idly wandered his gaze to the clearly upset kwami before him. “Hey, Tikki,” she looked up. “I can do this. I’ll save my lady, okay? I just--I need to know what happened.” 

“She was humiliated at school today. In front of the boy she likes.” 

Suddenly, the gears matched in his head. A clear picture Adrien didn’t even know he was searching for became apparent in his head. Not only had he allowed his lady to get akumatized, but his best friend as well. His best friend that he hadn’t even realized he had feelings for. A best friend that he’d fallen for twice. 

“Oh, Marinette…” he sighed, burying his face in his hands. “I should’ve gone to talk to her. I was so worried about my own feelings. Trying to call and text her wasn’t enough. I should’ve found her. Been there for her.” 

“You wouldn’t have known what to say,” Plagg pointed out. “You would’ve rejected her, and I’m sure that wouldn’t have helped.” 

“But I--” 

“It’s okay,” Tikki said. “She’ll be okay. However, you can’t tell her who you are. Or that you know who she is. Master Fu would take your miraculous. But I  _ know _ you’re supposed to be Ladybug’s partner. Her Chat Noir. She can’t do this without you, Adrien.” 

He nodded. The kwamis were both right. His feelings for Ladybug--for  _ Marinette _ \--were the last thing to worry about. He’d tell her someday. He’d tell her after they defeated Hawkmoth. Now that he knew, he could at least stop hurting her. He could… well… they couldn’t  _ date _ . But he could tease her. He could be closer to her. 

Adrien wasn’t going to let her down easy or reject her like he thought he’d have to. He’d just… tell her not now. 

“Tikki, spots on!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a lot shorter than the first part, but I decided I wanted to unveil Princess Justice in the last part and just have it be the longest part. Thanks for all the positive feedback for this! I didn't expect so many to like it, lol! 
> 
> [tumblr](https://ashtheshortstack.tumblr.com)


	3. followed the rules

Adrien hopped along the rooftops, scouring the city for his now akumatized partner. He was terrified for her well-being, as well as Lila’s. Though the girl was a total brat, he couldn’t help but worry that his lady would do something horrible to her. 

There was so much guilt swirling within him. If only he had really been there for her when Marinette needed him the most. How much pain had she been in for it to finally come to this? How long had Lila been harassing her and she had always been able to overcome the negative thoughts and feelings that came with being bullied like this? And he had catered to Lila! Told Marinette not to bother with exposing her because it wouldn’t do any good.

Some friend he was, huh? 

When he heard a scream, he spun quickly towards the sound as he was jared from his thoughts. Glancing over at the park, he finally spotted his target. There stood an entity in a deep purple, flowy dress, jet black hair flowing behind her in long pigtails. There was a sharp crown on her head with a purple jewel in the center. A black, inky mask covered her face where she normally adorned her spots. It made his heart twist to see her in such a state. She held a staff in her hand, pointing it towards Lila who cowered by a tree. 

Adrien tossed the yo-yo, hooking it on the tree and swinging himself over towards the two of them. 

“You deserve judgement,” the akumatized Marinette hissed. 

Lila laughed hesitantly, glancing around nervously. “C’mon Marinette, you can’t be this upset over something I did when I was akumatized, right? It wasn’t my fault.” 

“Marinette’s gone. I’m Princess Justice, and you’ve been asking for this for a  _ long time.” _

Adrien had no idea what the weapon did, but it hissed menacingly as Princess Justice aimed it directly at Lila’s nose. Lila whimpered with a grimace as the weapon was waved in her face. 

“You will  _ tell the truth _ .” 

Suddenly, Lila was glowing and Adrien took that as his cue. Oh, how he didn’t want to fight her. He just felt guilty more than anything. His poor Marinette… how could he let this happen to her? 

Swinging down from the tree, he pounced on Princess Justice, knocking her down to the ground. His palms rested on either side of her head as dull, grey eyes gazed up at him. There was so much sadness… an emptiness he never thought he’d see on Marinette, let alone his Ladybug. His heart ached in his chest. Quickly, he grabbed her palms and pushed them flat beside her head. 

“Marinette…?” 

She sneered at him. “There is no Marinette. Princess Justice is here to serve the people of Paris who should all learn the truth.” Princess Justice pushed back against him, rolling them over and slamming his palms to the ground. He grunted before gazing up at her as she loomed menacingly over him. 

Damn, no wonder he could never win against Ladybug. Marinette was strong as hell. 

It would be kinda hot if his life wasn’t at stake. 

“Careful, Insect. If you get in my way, then I may have to reveal your identity to the world.” 

Adrien felt his eyes widen at that. “What?” 

Smirking, she glanced over at Lila. The girl had her palms over her mouth with wide eyes. He’d never seen Lila so stunned before. There was a sick, twisted sense of satisfaction swirling in his gut, but he had to ignore it. He was supposed to be the hero. 

But… he was here to save  _ Marinette. _ Lila on the other hand, eh, not so much. 

Somehow, Adrien wasn’t at all shocked when he heard Alya’s surprised voice at the sight before her. Bless Nino… he was trying to pull his girlfriend away from the action, but she was clearly not giving up a chance to see this. For multiple reasons, obviously. Her best friend was akumatized and there was no Ladybug. There was Mister Bug instead, which he was pretty sure no one had ever seen before--aside from Juleka. 

“Marinette!” she cried. 

With the way Princess Justice glowered at her best friend, it was clear Marinette was not in there at the moment. And not too thrilled to see Alya sprinting towards them. 

“C’mon, girl! You’re better than this!” 

Adrien groaned as Princess Justice shoved his face into the dirt when she jumped to her feet. 

“What do you know!?” she hissed. “All you ever did was take Lila’s side! You never believed me!” 

Alya stepped back as if she’d been struck. “What’re you talking about?” 

Princess Justice snarled at Lila, snatching her by the wrist and shoving her towards their friends. “Why don’t you tell her, lying scum.” 

Lila, whose eyes were now glowing a deep purple, was under the influence of whatever Princess Justice’s powers were. But from the context clues Adrien had gathered, he figured it was a truth spell. 

“I lied,” Lila said. “I lied about having tinnitus. About knowing Jagged Stone and any other celebrities,” the girl began laughing. “And you know what? I don’t have a disease that makes me do it! I do it because it’s  _ fun. _ People  _ like _ me that way.” 

Jaw dropping, Alya gaped at her. “W-What?” 

“And, for whatever reason, Marinette here figured me out. She knew I was lying about my life. But I couldn’t let her out me, obviously,” Lila barked another laugh. “So, I had to get rid of her. I got akumatized on purpose twice to do just that. Oh, and I do know Ladybug. Because I  _ hate _ her! And I only want to take her down. Well, her  _ and _ Marinette. Adrien is  _ mine _ . I just had to send Marinette a little reminder.” 

Alya trembled as her hands went to her mouth. Lila’s tyrant continued, growing more and more infuriating with each passing statement. Adrien could feel sick… He felt so wrong. Had he really failed his lady this much? She was suffering at the hands of this girl for so long. And he had brushed it off! 

He was seething at himself, but he needed this battle to be over. “Lucky Charm!” 

A sketch-pad fell into his hands. Glancing around, his brow pinched. “What am I…?” he suddenly remembered the last time he used the ladybug miraculous. His lady said he was a “straight-forward guy” meaning the answer was obvious and right in front of his face, unlike his lady’s convoluted schemes. 

“It’s not like I didn’t warn her,” Lila snickered before crossing her arms. “She and I had a great talk in the bathroom once. I told her that I would turn everyone against her and that Adrien would be mine. And if it weren’t for Adrien himself, my plan would’ve worked.” 

Princess Justice paused, looking at her victim in surprise. “Wait, what?” 

Lila rolled her eyes. “Adrien told me that I had to get you back into school after I got you expelled. He threatened to not be my friend anymore. Well, I think that’s what he meant. Either way, I had to prove my love to him, right? So, I told Mr. Damocles about that fake lying disease.” 

“Adrien… did that for me?” Princess Justice murmured, eyes widening slightly. Adrien blinked in surprise when there was a flash of blue in those dull irises. Suddenly, there was a butterfly framing her face. She clutched her head. “Shut up! Shut up!  _ Shut up!” _ The butterfly shattered making him gasp. Did she just…? 

“I don’t  _ need _ Hawkmoth. I don’t  _ need _ a miraculous,” she growled. “I’m doing this my way!” She aimed the staff at Alya. “Do you see now, Alya!? All I ever did was try to tell you the truth. And Adrien was the only person who ever believed me!” Princess Justice cried. 

That was definitely Marinette. A Marinette who was still angry and had truth powers, but it was her nonetheless. How did she break the mental connection with Hawkmoth? And why hadn’t he just removed her powers when she went rouge? Was he planning something worse? 

“Marinette, I didn’t know!” 

Princess Justice strode up to her. “You thought I was jealous! That I was lying! It’s like you don’t even know me at all!” 

“ _ Please,  _ Marinette. I never meant--” 

Quickly, Adrien wound the yo-yo around her waist and yanked it towards him. She didn’t come willingly, however. Princess Justice took a swing, knocking him in the jaw. Skidding backwards in the dirt, he groaned as he looked up. She was charging at him, those eyes grey and pained once again. There was the pang of pain in his heart again as he flipped backwards away from her attack. 

“Marinette,” he murmured as she took another swing, this time with her staff. He caught it between his hands. “I know you’re in there, Marinette. Come back to me, please.” 

She merely growled. “What do you know!? You never believe me either, Kitty!” 

Grimacing, he shot a look back at Alya and Nino, who were both still distracted by the Lila who was spewing her guts out to them, much to Alya’s continued horror. He loved his friends, but he had no idea that Alya had treated Marinette that way. That she hadn’t believed her and just assumed she was jealous. What an awful thing to do… Even after Marinette was right that Lila had framed her and gotten her expelled! And her best friend knew it too! 

So, thankfully, the fact that Mister Bug was Chat Noir was still a secret. For the moment, at least. 

He sighed. Tossing the yo-yo, it wrapped around her wrists, binding them in place. “I did believe you. I promise you, I did,” Princess Justice struggled against the binds, gritting her teeth as she pulled. Adrien held his ground, keeping her tied as he spoke. “I knew she was a liar, but I just didn’t realize how manipulative and cruel she was. U-Until Oni-Chan. When I fought Oni-Chan, then I realized that she would do anything to destroy yo--Ladybug. I’m sorry that people weren’t there for you like they should have been, Marinette! I’m sorry that telling Adrien your feelings was taken away from you! But you need to talk to him!” 

“What do you know!?” 

“I know everything! I know--I know how brave you are! I know how much you put everyone before yourself. I-I know how amazing you are, Marinette. I know that you’re creative, talented, selfless. I can’t imagine how much pain you’ve been bottling up inside,” he felt his voice wavering. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there for you,” he cracked. He tossed the sketch pad towards her. 

It opened to a page, showing a familiar doodle. The one he made for Marinette. 

Princess Justice froze, eyes going wide. The grey color of her eyes flashed back to that beautiful bluebell he’d grown to love. Gasping, she threw the staff down to the ground. Adrien watched in awe as she fell to the ground, collapsing in an emotional heep. Her hands went to her face as she sobbed. Her cries were loud and agonizing to listen to. 

Adrien grit his teeth, brows pinching as he listened to her finally break down. Listened to all the emotions fly out of her at once. How long had she bottled this? How long had Lila been tormenting her? 

Grabbing her staff, Adrien broke it over his knee. He snatched the butterfly with the yo-yo, purifying it and sending it off. He tossed the sketch pad into the air. 

“Miraculous Mister Bug!” 

He wasn’t quite sure what happened with Hawkmoth… and he may never know. It seemed reasonable that Marinette would be strong-willed enough to defy Hawkmoth’s orders. It dawned on him then that she never demanded his miraculous a single time. Had she never been fully under Hawkmoth’s control? 

Shaking off his confusion, he scooped Marinette up in his arms. Her eyes were closed as her head lulled gently to the side. It must’ve taken a lot of energy to defy their enemy. Could it have drained her? He wasn’t sure, but he needed to get her out of here. 

“Wait!” Alya called as she ran up to him. “Who are you?” 

Adrien glanced around. “U-Uh, Mister Bug. I use the ladybug miraculous when the actual Ladybug can’t be here.” 

Alya crossed her arms, clearly not buying it. “Oh, really? How come I’ve never seen you before?” 

“I’ve worked before. Reflekdoll. I was there. That was your friend Juleka, right? Anyway, I’ve gotta get going.” 

“Wait, where are you taking her?” 

Sighing, he shook his head. “I just think it’d be best to get her away from everyone for now.” 

Alya hugged herself, glancing down at the ground as Nino wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Hey, dude. Will you tell Marinette we’re sorry?” 

With a sad smile, Adrien nodded. “Yeah, I can do that.” He shot a glare in Lila’s direction. “In the meantime, maybe you should put that journalism to good use and set some records straight, hm?” 

Alya looked back at Lila who was fleeing the scene now that the cure had freed her from Princess Justice’s powers. Lip twitching, her eyes hardened. Adrien said nothing as he shot the yo-yo to a nearby roof and repelled himself forward with Marinette in tow. He decided the best method would be to take her home. 

So, he landed on her terrance and detransformed. 

Tikki gave him a look. “You were a little reckless for a Ladybug.” 

He laughed hesitantly, ruffling his blond locks. “Sorry about that. I was just so desperate to save her.” 

“I know… Thank you, Adrien.” 

Giving the kwami a soft smile, he took out the earrings. As gently as he could, he pinched the miraculous back into her lobes. 

o~o~o~o

Adrien brushed a batch of raven locks behind her ear, making Marinette stir. Her eyes scrunched before blinking open. 

“A-Adrien…? What--What happened?” 

Gingerly, he helped her sit up. “You were akumatized.” 

Her eyes blew wide. “What?!” 

“Hey, hey, calm down,” he said as he hushed her. 

Marinette was so confused. She had no idea what had just occurred. Akumatized!? She’d been  _ akumatized!? _ Her eyes flicked around her terrance frantically. “H-How did I get here?” 

“Um, a hero named Mister Bug?” 

Oh, right. She’d given Tikki the earrings to take to Chat Noir, right? But wait… why had she--oh. Oh, that’s right. Lila exposed her crush on Adrien to everyone. Lightly, she pushed Adrien away before curling in on herself. 

“I--I’m sorry. I know I should’ve told you how I felt about you a long time ago. B-But I was so nervous and I couldn’t barely make sentences around you! Let alone confess! And--And I know you love someone else. And I know it’s probably Kagami which makes this so hard because you’re both my friends and I don’t want to lose either of you and--” 

“Woah, woah, woah, Marinette,” his gentle hands went on her shoulders. “Slow down. I-I’m not in love with Kagami.” 

Wait. 

_ What!? _

Her confusion must’ve been written all over her face as she gaped at him. Adrien gave her a small smile with a nervous laugh. 

“If you want me to be honest? I’ve been stupidly in love with Ladybug for a long time.” 

Marinette felt her cheeks heat. “L-Ladybug!?” 

He nodded. “Yeah, but that’s kind of stupid, right? I don’t even know her.” 

“NO! I-I mean, no way. That’s not stupid. You can’t help who you like, right?” 

Adrien chuckled at that. “Yeah, maybe not. But I… I realized after I found out how you feel about me that I--I think I could fall in love with you too, Marinette.” 

Did he…? Wait. Was he choosing her? Over Kagami? Over her own superhero persona? That wasn’t--no way. That wasn’t even possible, was it? 

Marinette almost short-circuited when he reached over and touched her hand. “I’d love to get to know you more, if you’ll let me. My, uh, my father won’t allow me to date right now. But maybe… in the future? If you can wait for me?” 

Nodding stupidly, she agreed. “Y-Yes! Of course.” 

The smile he gave her was so, so gentle. Her heart nearly melted at the sight. Adrien leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. “I’m so sorry, Marinette. I had no idea what Lila was really doing to you. This--This was my fault. I kept telling you to brush it off, and in turn I almost got you expelled.” 

There was a flash of something in her mind. “Did… Did you get her to fix it?” 

“I did. I couldn’t let her do that to you.” 

Marinette yanked on the hand he was holding, tugging him into a hug. She buried her nose into his shoulder. “Thank you so much. And thank you… for believing me.” 

“I should’ve done more. I-I didn’t know she was harassing you.” 

Shaking her head, she nuzzled his neck. “No. You at least knew. You trusted me. You have no idea what that meant to me.” 

“Alya knows now. And I assumed the whole class will after today.” 

Marinette tilted her head in confusion, pushing him back at arms length. “What?” 

“Your power as an akuma was like a truth spell. Lila’s true colors came out, the maniacal laughing and everything. She spilled everything she did to you to Alya.” 

As shameful as it was, she felt relief wash over her. Finally, her best friend would believe her. Finally, it wouldn’t be chalked up to jealousy or an overreaction. This girl who’d been so mean to her for months would finally get what she deserved. Knowing how Lila ran from her problems, she doubted they’d even see the cunning girl again. Not that Marinette minded. She could go the rest of her life without seeing Lila Rossi ever again. 

“Oh, wow…” 

Smiling, Adrien stood and helped her to her feet. Marinette glanced down at their conjoined hands. God, she was going to spontaneously combust right there. How was this her life? And what rotten luck that Adrien wanted to be with her and his father had banned him from dating! 

She couldn’t make eye contact when he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ll see you around, Marinette.” 

“Y-You too, Adrien.” 

As he detached from her, he gave a small salute before going down into her bedroom to leave. The gesture felt oddly familiar, but she brushed it off. Leaning onto the railing, Marinette glanced over to see her kwami hiding behind the plants. Tikki squealed, fluttering over and hugging Marinette on the cheek. 

“Oh! I was so worried!” 

Marinette cupped her kwami’s back. “I’m so glad you’re alright, Tikki. Did Chat Noir do a good job?” 

“Yep! He saved the day!” 

Humming, she smiled. “I’ll have to thank him.” 

It was then she saw her crime-fighting partner bouncing through the rooftops nearby. Was he coming to check on her? That was sweet of him. He paused, giving her a glance and waving. Marinette returned the wave before pausing. 

Wait. 

She touched the miraculous in her lobes.

How’d he give her earrings back…? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda feel like this ended up more rushed than I wanted. But it's done! Thanks for reading this thing my brain pooped out.
> 
> Okay, but like... seriously we need a truth akuma. It'd be a disaster and I'm here for it. 
> 
> [tumblr](https://ashtheshortstack.tumblr.com)


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